18 October 2012
17.10.2012 - The UNDP has published a brochure containing results of a study called “Transfer of Czech Experience: Developing Kosovo Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory Management System”. The project was carried out by a group of Czech experts constituting present Czech National Inventory System (NIS) and was led by the Charles University Environment Center. The main objectives of the project was to train Kosovo experts how to apply GHG inventory methodologies in national conditions. Another goal of the project was to estimate GHG emissions from all anthropogenic activities according to the IPCC 2006 methodology and presented these results for a national forum. The project was supported by close cooperation of Kosovo’s Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning (MESP) and Kosovo’s Environmental Protection Agency (KEPA).
According to the findings of the project, total emissions of all greenhouse gasses in 2008 reached 9.5 Mt CO2 eq. They increased to 10.5 Mt CO2 eq. in 2009. This relatively high increase was driven almost solely by increased fossil fuel combustion. Carbon dioxide constitutes about 80 % of all emissions, while methane and nitrous oxide are both about 10 %. The so called new greenhouse gasses, such as HFCs and PFCs, are almost negligible. The most important sector for whole inventory is sector “1A Fuel combustion activities” which constitute about 80% of all anthropogenic emissions in Kosovo. Most important source category for Kosovo is solid fuels combustion, according to the findings.
Kosovo in comparison with other countries in the Europe has still relatively low emissions per capita. This is mainly because favourable geographical conditions and also because of lack of energy intensive industries, intensive agriculture and lack of waste management. Kosovo is not member of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) or to its Kyoto Protocol. However Kosovo Government, similarly to the EU, considers climate change as a priority area, and is dedicated to make its contribution to the solution of this global challenge. Because results of the GHG inventory were developed in close cooperation with experts from MESP (Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning) and KEPA (Kosovo Environmental Protection Agency), the project is considered as a first very important step of Kosovo people on the road of climate change mitigation.
The 2007/2008 UNDP Human Development Report estimates that stabilizing the greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that prevents serious climate change impacts will require a 50% reduction of the GHG emissions by 2050 from 1990 levels. This is especially relevant to the Western Balkan region, which has some of the most carbon intensive economies and climate change is already having a severe impact on development. The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) management system will be managed by Kosovo Environment Protection Agency (KEPA) and will be used for reporting to internal and external bodies, for policy development, policy debates and policy monitoring.
Kosovo greenhouse gas emissions Report- Download
